several of the greatest generals who ever lived--gallant
commanders, whom their men would have followed through any amount of the
reddest possible fire during the whole of Astley's campaigns, that is,
if the commissariat department (consisting of the pot-boy stationed at
the side-scenes with the porter) did its duty efficiently."

"Freddy, they're beginning to come out from the bell-tower," interrupted
I; "we shall be called upon to answer for our misdeeds if we stay much
longer; see, that long man in the cocked hat is coming towards us."

"So he is," returned Coleman; "it strikes me they've found us out;
follow me, and try and look as if it wasn't you as much as possible,
will you?" So saying, he began to make his way out of the crowd
unperceived, an example I hastened to follow; but we were not destined
to effect our purpose quite so easily. The point Coleman wished to gain
was an arched gateway leading into a stable-yard, from which he hoped,
by a foot-path with which he was acquainted, across some fields, to
reach ~136~~without molestation the inn where I was to sleep. But,
in order to effect this, we were obliged to pass the door of the
bell-tower, from which several people, who appeared angry and excited,
were now issuing. The foremost of those, the cock-hatted official before
mentioned, made his way up to us, exclaiming as he did so:--

"Here, you young gen'lmen, just you stop a bit, will yer? His Wusshup,
the mayor, seems to begin to think as somebody's been a making a fool of
him."

"A very natural idea," returned Coleman; "I only wonder it never
occurred to him before; as far as my limited acquaintance with him
will allow me to judge, the endeavour appears to have been perfectly
successful. I wish you a very good-morning."

"That's all wery fine, but I must trouble yer to come along o' me; his
Wusshup wants to speak to yer," replied the beadle, seizing Coleman by
the coat-collar.

"That is a pleasure his 'Wusshup' must contrive to postpone till he
has caught me," answered Freddy, as with a sudden jerk he succeeded
in freeing himself from his captor's grasp, while, almost at the same
moment, he dealt him a cuff on the side of the head which sent him
reeling back to the door of the bell-tower, where encountering the
mayor, who had just made his appearance, he came headlong to the
ground, dragging that illustrious functionary down with him in a frantic
endeavour to save himself. Profiting by the confusion t